Born and raised in Manila, Philippines before relocating to Florida, Joanne is now an active duty Logistics Readiness Officer in the United State Air Force.  She is a staunch advocate for diversity and inclusion and promoting Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) heritage across various platforms. She recently led the Department of the Air Force’s efforts for AAPI Heritage Month and serves as a member of their Barrier Analysis Working Group where she is involved in analyzing data, trends and barriers to identify and address issues impacting AANHPI personnel in the Air Force. Joanne is committed to supporting and empowering underrepresented communities.  She serves on the Executive Board for Asian Culture and Media Alliance and is a longstanding mentor for Big Brother Big Sister. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Anthropology and a Masters Degree in Forensic Science and was a Medicolegal Death Investigator in the Washington, DC area (Northern Virginia) prior to commissioning in the Air Force. As of September 2022, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies in California State University – San Bernardino.